Affordable open-back headphones are few and far between. HyperX’s new Cloud Alpha Air is a gamified take on the tech, mimicking the likes of Beyerdynamic but with one big distinction: the price. HyperX’s latest set of cans will sling around your neck for the relatively low price of R2,400 ($150).
Slappin’ da bass tube
HyperX is certainly placing a bigger focus on audio here. It’s ditched the wireless functionality in what we assume is an attempt to keep the price as low as possible. The Cloud Alpha Air, being purpose-built for gaming, can get away with the omission without much scrutiny. It’s brimming with adapters and cables to suit your setup’s needs.
The sales pitch on the HyperX website goes a little something like: “Open-back headsets create a wider and more natural soundstage than traditional closed-back headsets.” While that might be true, they generally suffer from weak bass performance, a direct result of the open-back format. It claims to have ‘solved’ the issue with a Bass Tube that’ll keep the pair from sounding too flat. It’s not something you often see at this price, so we’ll see if it works.
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It’s going right through the Cloud Alpha Air’s 40mm driver, helping it “maintain the low-end frequencies” you’d normally find on a traditional set. That’s little red thing right behind the metallic grille. The headset is pretty sparse elsewhere, offering only a simple volume wheel, a mute button, a removable boom mic, and big foam earcups. A metallic headband stretches between the two that’ll either make or break its comfort.
There’s no telling when the Cloud Alpha Air will be ready — the company’s site mentions a vague “coming soon” banner and a price tag of $150. HyperX’s history in the country and the average Saffa’s desire for cheaper gaming peripherals tell us the Cloud Alpha Air will turn up eventually. Fingers crossed, yeah?
